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Lucien LaCroix
Originally a Roman general noted for a campaign against rebels in Gaul, Lucius (the rest of his name is unknown) returned in triumph to Italy, where he settled into his mansion, ordered a sculpture of his head to be carved, and prepared to enjoy the fruits of his success. However, he lived in Pompeii, and it was 79 A.D.: Mount Vesuvius brought this luxurious life of fortune and fame to an end when it erupted. LaCroix's Conversion to Vampirism Lucius was not among the victims of Vesuvius. As the tremors of the eruption shook his house, his human daughter, Divia, came to him and offered him the option of being turned into a vampire after her conversion by an ancient vampire. He snatched at the chance to survive. Some twenty years later, though, he turned on his young master when she pressed him to turn their relationship into a sexual one as well. Appalled by the thought of incest, Lucius snatched up a sickle and beheaded his daughter, and then placed her body in a stone sarcophagus on which was the seal of the sun god Ra. At some subsequent time, he adopted the name '"Lucien LaCroix"'. The irony of a vampire taking a name that, in French, means "the cross" is undoubtedly deliberate; but the circumstances in which he took this ''nom de guerre remain unknown. LaCroix's Vampire Progeny Down the centuries LaCroix has brought quite a number of humans across; but the two who have remained at his side the longest are Janette DuCharme and Nick Knight. The former struck his fancy when he saw her in Paris in the late eleventh century running from a soldier who had tried to rape her. He took the whim to kill the man, and then to find out who she might be. Discovering that she was a prostitute with an abusive pimp, he offered to bring her across and give her freedom and revenge. The two of them found the knight Nicholas de Brabant also in Paris. He was returning from the Crusades, disillusioned and ripe for seduction—by Janette, to the lures of the flesh, and by LaCroix, to the promise of immortality. Almost immediately, though, the knight had reservations. These led to frequent arguments between between them, usually ended with a demonstration of Nick's inability to break free from his vampire nature, to LaCroix's triumph. By the mid nineteenth century, however, Nick had determined to leave LaCroix's family. His attempts to break free only assured his master's pursuit. Wherever Nick went, LaCroix was sure to follow, with or without Janette. Three years before the first episode of Forever Knight ( Dark Knight), Nick moved to Toronto. A couple of years later, he took a job as detective with the police force. Unbeknownst to him, LaCroix had become aware of this. LaCroix also read of an exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum that included a jade cup similar to one that Nick had excavated at Altun Kinal in the late nineteenth century—a cup reputed to be used in a ritual to reverse the vampire state. Both cups would be required to complete the ceremony; and LaCroix came to Toronto in order to ensure that Nick would not be able to get the second cup from the museum. In the struggle between them, the second cup was destroyed; but their confrontation ended with Nick's staking his master with a blazing wooden spar. For at least a year, Nick believed LaCroix to be dead—and the memory of staking him haunted him persistently the whole time. However, in the second season premiere (Killer Instinct), LaCroix returned to Toronto with the intention of reclaiming his bond with his son. He accounted enigmatically for his survival. LaCroix's Modern Professions To occupy his time, LaCroix decided to host a midnight show at CERK radio under the name, "the Nightcrawler". Since Nick feels compelled to tune in, this affords LaCroix a channel to his son even when Nick avoids meeting him in person. After a while, though, Nick took to dropping by Janette's nightclub, the Raven even when he knew LaCroix might be around. He even occasionally, as in Baby, Baby, asked for LaCroix's assistance. And, when Nick's partner, Don Schanke, began to suspect that Nick was a vampire, it was LaCroix who subtly and successfully manipulated the man into deciding that the notion was a foolish one. Shortly before the opening of Season Three, Janette decided to move on, and gave the Raven to LaCroix. He moved his broadcast booth from the CERK Radio station to a room at the back of the club. In Last Knight, LaCroix decided that it was time to move on himself. This coincided with Nick's draining Natalie Lambert, and his request to LaCroix to stake him. Episodes of Significance The following is a list of those episodes in which Lucien LaCroix plays a role beyond the norm, deepening our understanding of his character. For a full discussion of his role in each episode in which he appears, see LaCroix's scenes. Fan Fiction The following are works of fan fiction in which Lucien LaCroix appears among the characters. * FK4: LaCroix is a regular character in the fourth season, appearing in all twenty-two episodes. Images * See Category:Forever Knight character images - Lucien LaCroix LaCroix LaCroix